He has gift-wrapped the Irish language and handed it to Sinn Féin. “No, we don’t want it, you keep it” is his message, therefore perpetuating the perception that the 2,000-year-old Irish language was created by the IRA army council, in the days of berets and dark glasses, as a means of annoying Protestants.

Thankfully, politics works on many different levels from the parliamentary level to street level. While Mr Poots and the totality of unionist opinion at the assembly is against the proposed act, ordinary Protestants, and indeed unionists, are learning Irish in Bangor and Holywood and Sion Mills and in many other places. The Irish language is ideally placed as an issue around which people of different traditions can engage with each other and that will continue in spite of yesterday’s (Tuesday) statement.

Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty